Cancer: Nuclear Power Stations

Lord Roberts of Conwy: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish available information on the incidence of cancer in the populations in the vicinity of nuclear power stations compared with the norm in that region; and
	Whether studies have been carried out into the incidence of cancer in populations in the neighbourhood of nuclear power stations in the United Kingdom or elsewhere.

Lord Warner: The independent advisory Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE), which was established in 1985 in response to the final recommendation of the Black report (1984), has undertaken and published studies on the incidence of cancer in populations in the neighbourhood of nuclear power stations in the United Kingdom. Details of all COMARE's publications are available on its website at www.comare.org.uk.
	In 2005, COMARE published its 10th report, which reviewed earlier evidence and presented new data relating to childhood cancers around nuclear installations in Great Britain. By doing this, it has attempted to see if the claims of an excess of childhood cancer around some specific nuclear installations are a regular feature of the majority of the largest nuclear sites in Great Britain.
	The peer-reviewed report concluded that there was no evidence of excess cases in any local 25-kilometre area around nuclear power stations, which would include either primary exposure to radioactive discharges or secondary exposure from resuspended material. This report puts various allegations of other cancer clusters around nuclear installations into context.
	It is important to understand that the evidence that COMARE reviews is peer reviewed to ensure the scientific reliability of the collection and presentational methodologies of data. There are other reports on this subject that are not peer reviewed.
	Children are expected to be the most sensitive members of the population as regards exposure to carcinogenic agents such as ionising radiation, so no excesses would be expected in the adult population. Cancer incidence data are held by cancer registries and are protected by the Data Protection Act. These bodies will only release anonymised data to researchers who have submitted research proposals via the proper ethical committees and received the relevant approval.

Commission for Equality and Human Rights

Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, in the light of delays in appointing a chair for the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights, they have made an assessment of the likely consequential delays in the timetable for the commission becoming operational.

Baroness Andrews: There is no change to the overall timetable for appointing the chair to the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights. We are on target for the chair to be appointed this summer.

Council Tax

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Andrews on 25 May (WA 127) on the costs of issuing council tax liability orders, whether they will take steps to ensure that local authorities collate the data requested in future.

Baroness Andrews: The Government have no plans to require local authorities to collate data on the costs associated with individual elements of the council tax enforcement process. We believe that individual authorities should have the freedom to decide whether to compile data in this level of detail.

Energy: Nuclear

Lord Vinson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In light of the Prime Minister's comment that nuclear power is "back on the agenda with a vengeance", whether the Carbon Trust is now preparing to promote nuclear power in order to help build a low-carbon economy.

Lord Rooker: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given on 15 May 2006 (Official Report, col. WA 6).

Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will list the grants made by the Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund in 2005-06, and those planned for 2006–07, giving in each case the names of the organisations and the purposes of the grant.

Baroness Andrews: The Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund is administered by the Community Development Foundation. The fund supports capacity building and inter-faith programmes which, in turn, will support the development of faith-based organisations and increase participation of faith communities in civil society. In 2005–06, 588 organisations were awarded funding totalling £7.7 million. Details can be found on the Community Development Foundation website at www.cdf.org.uk. Grants are awarded as a result of an independent assessment process; it is not possible to say who will receive funding in 2006–07 as the second round for applying has not yet opened.

Fertiliser: Seaweed

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether calcified seaweed collected from the seabed is appropriate for use as a fertiliser.

Lord Rooker: Calcified seaweed can be used as an effective and quite rapidly responsive liming material. However, there are alternative materials available that can be applied at less cost.

Gulf War: Pensions

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What have been the total costs borne by the taxpayer of legal representation at tribunals, in the courts and on other work related to the contesting of war pension claims of veterans of the 1990–91 Gulf War, including, where necessary, estimates in respect of the cost of work done by civil servants.

Lord Drayson: The cost to the Ministry of Defence of external legal representation, which also includes claimants' legal costs where these have been funded by the department, amounts to £191,726. The cost of work done by civil servants involved in war pension appeals brought by veterans of the 1990–91 Gulf War is not separately identified and could only be provided by the use of disproportionate time and effort.

House of Lords: Appointments Commission

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any committee or other body scrutinised the appointment of the chairman and members of the House of Lords Appointments Commission; and
	Whether they will place in the Library of the House all documentation concerning the appointment of the members of the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The chairman and independent members of the House of Lords Appointments Commission were appointed by open competition, in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments' rules. A panel of five people, chaired by the then Cabinet Secretary and including an independent assessor, was responsible for selecting the chairman and independent members. The three party-political members of the commission were nominated by the respective party leaders.

House of Lords: Appointments Commission

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What payments, if any, they have made to the House of Lords Appointments Commission; and on what occasions the commission has met since its first appointment.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The commission's expenditure for the last six years is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Year Expenditure 
			 2000–01 £248,000 
			 2001–02 £143,000 
			 2002–03 £120,000 
			 2003–04 £106,000 
			 2004–05 £108,000 
			 2005–06 £103,000 
		
	
	The commission has met 39 times since its first appointment. The dates on which the commission has met are:
	1st—5 June 2000
	2nd—26 June 2000
	3rd—23 July 2000
	4th—1 September 2000
	5th—25 September 2000
	6th—30 October 2000
	7th—23 November 2000
	8th—9 January 2001
	9th—16 February 2001
	10th—26 February 2001
	11th—8 May 2001
	12th—7 September 2001
	13th—14 November 2001
	14th—18 December 2001
	15th—14 January 2002
	16th—18 April 2002
	17th—25 November 2002
	18th—12 May 2003
	19th—5 June 2003
	20th—15 September 2003
	21st—13 October 2003
	22nd—1 December 2003
	23rd—16 December 2003
	24th—9 February 2004
	25th—18 March 2004
	26th—9 June 2004
	27th—15 September 2004
	28th—27 October 2004
	29th—1 February 2005
	30th—18 May 2005
	31st—18 October 2005
	32nd—16 November 2005
	33rd—6 December 2005
	34th—16 January 2006
	35th—7 February 2006
	36th—21 February 2006
	37th—9 March 2006
	38th—4 April 2006
	39th—7 June 2006

Housing: Accessible Homes

Baroness Wilkins: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they plan to introduce access criteria similar to those contained in the London plan in other areas of the United Kingdom.

Baroness Andrews: Planning policies in relation to accessible homes in the London plan are the responsibility of the Mayor of London. National policy on access criteria is contained within Part M of the building regulations and the code for sustainable homes, which has proposed lifetime homes standards as a voluntary element of the code.

Local Government: Jurisdiction

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether local authorities have jurisdiction below the low-water mark in any circumstances; and, if so, what powers they have in this respect.

Baroness Andrews: The general rule is that administrative boundaries of local authorities in England and Wales extend as far as the low-water mark. Some authorities' boundaries extend below the low-water mark, for example, across harbours, rivers and river estuaries, and for internal waters—estuaries, bays, inlets, creeks and channels. In addition, accretions from the sea, whether natural or artificial, are also incorporated within the area of the local authority. Local authority planning functions extend to the authority's administrative boundaries and include any structures or buildings, such as piers and jetties, that extend into the sea from above mean low water.
	Some authorities' jurisdiction has been extended by statute beyond the administrative boundary for certain purposes. For example, coastal authorities also have power under Section 18 of the Coast Protection Act 1949 to control within three miles of the coast any marine dredging and other operations at sea that could affect coastal defences.

NHS: Dentistry

Lord Colwyn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What percentage of dentists who were providing services under Section 35 of the National Health Service Act 1977 on 31 March now have no National Health Service contract.

Lord Warner: This information is not yet available. It will be available later this summer.
	Management information is available on the number of contracts rejected or accepted by 1 April. This information shows that 8,377 contracts were signed and 1,051 rejected. A contract may be for either a practice covering a number of dentists or an individual dentist.
	Primary care trusts are using the funding associated with rejected contracts to commission additional services from other dentists.

NHS: Dentistry

Lord Colwyn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether dental practices that have exceeded their units of dental activity targets receive payments from their primary care trusts for any additional National Health Service treatment they prescribe.

Lord Warner: It is for primary care trusts (PCTs) to commission primary dental care services to reflect the needs of their local populations. The units of dental activity agreed between a PCT and a practice or dentist will generally reflect the courses of treatment that it is reasonable to expect the practice or dentist to provide over the course of a year, taking into account the aim of allowing more time for preventive care. We would expect the working patterns of dentists to reflect this contracted activity over a 12-month period. Dentists would not be paid any more for treatments above contracted activity without the prior agreement of the PCT, as their pay will be scheduled in 12 monthly instalments.

NHS: Dentistry

Lord Colwyn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In the light of the data they have collected since 1 April, how many dental practices they expect to exceed their annual units of dental activity quota.

Lord Warner: It is too early to predict the number of practices that may exceed their contracted annual units of dental activity. Primary care trusts receive data from the Business Services Authority on a monthly basis that show how each contractor is performing against their contracted activity levels. This includes a forecast showing the anticipated year-end position.

NHS: Diamorphine

Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What discussions they have had with the pharmaceutical industry regarding the availability and cost to the National Health Service of diamorphine.

Lord Warner: The Department of Health has been in close contact with both suppliers of diamorphine to the National Health Service, Wockhardt UK and Chiron (now Novartis), since the latter experienced supply problems in December 2004. Both companies are manufacturing to their full available capacity. The department is continuing to monitor the situation closely.
	Following Chiron's return to the market in July 2005, the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency sought to contract for the supply of diamorphine on behalf of the NHS in England, inviting the participation of the home countries, using its normal procedures for competitive tendering.

NHS: Diamorphine

Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What consideration they have given to the purchase of opium poppy crops in Afghanistan in order to manufacture diamorphine for use in the National Health Service.

Lord Warner: None. How to obtain raw materials, such as diamorphine, is a matter of commercial judgment for manufacturers of opium derivatives. They do so from a range of sources approved by the United Nations body responsible for overseeing the global supply of opiates, the International Narcotics Control Board.

Olympic Games 2012: Transport

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the expected length of the Olympic route network designed to provide priority road travel for Olympic athletes for the 2012 London Olympic Games; how priority will be achieved; and what will be the effect on other road users.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The plans for the Olympic route network were set out in the candidature file, submitted to the International Olympic Committee in November 2004, and envisaged that the Olympic route network would be approximately 240 kilometres in length. These plans will be refined and developed in the run-up to 2012.
	The Olympic route network is expected to use a number of traffic management measures, including, where appropriate, designated Olympic lanes to ensure that athletes and other members of the Olympic family are able to travel quickly and safely between venues and other Olympic sites.
	Transport for London is closely involved in the design of the Olympic route network. It and the Olympic Delivery Authority intend that the Olympic route network should not cause significant disruption to other road users.

Olympic Games 2012: Transport

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish a map of the Olympic route network for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Lord Davies of Oldham: A plan of the outline Olympic route network was published in theme 14 of the candidature file, which was submitted to the International Olympic Committee in November 2004. Copies of the candidature file are available in the House Libraries.

Olympic Games 2012: Transport

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will encourage athletes competing in the 2012 London Olympic Games to travel by public transport on the grounds of reliability and sustainability.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The main requirements for athletes' transport for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games are specified by the International Olympic Committee. In line with these requirements, it is expected that most of their transport will be by road, using a dedicated vehicle fleet. However, the candidature file presented to the International Olympic Committee in November 2004 stated that athletes and other members of the Olympic family would also benefit from free use of London's extensive public transport network during the games.

Pensions

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	For the year to March 2005, what was the cost of administering state pensions and transferring payments through (a) bank accounts; and (b) Post Office accounts.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The cost of administering state pensions during the year to March 2005 has been estimated as £244 million. This figure is an approximate assessment only.
	The department is currently refining its unit cost information in order to provide more robust and detailed financial analysis of the processing activities for which it is responsible. Results of its initial analysis are available for periods from April 2004 onwards. A modern resource management system is being rolled out across the department in 2006. This new system includes costing functionality.
	The average cost to the department of making a payment into a bank account was £0.01. The average cost of making a payment into a Post Office card account was approximately £1.00.

Pensions

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why there is a difference between the cost of paying a state pension into a bank account and into a Post Office account.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The difference arises because the department and other departments that use the Post Office card account fund the Post Office in full for all the card account services. The only cost that the department incurs to pay into existing bank accounts is the cost of transmitting the payment instruction to the bank.

Pensions: Financial Assistance Scheme

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for Pensions Reform (James Purnell) on 12 June (Official Report, House of Commons, 911W), who is carrying out the review of the administration of the financial assistance scheme; whether it will be a purely internal review by the Department for Work and Pensions; and whether its report will be published.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The review of the financial assistance scheme will be carried out by a team of officials appointed by the Minister for Pensions Reform. Their findings will be published in due course once this review is completed. The review is due to report before the Summer Recess.

Prime Minister: Meetings with Scottish First Minister

Lord Hogg of Cumbernauld: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the Prime Minister last met the Scottish First Minister; and what subjects were discussed.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: My right honourable friend the Prime Minister has regular meetings with the First Minister, to discuss matters of mutual interest.

Water Supply: Abstraction

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether there is a mechanism in place for the collection of data on the number of boreholes sunk for quantities of water below the 70 cubic metres per day limit.

Lord Rooker: Section 198 of the Water Resources Act 1991 requires anyone proposing to sink a borehole to a depth of more than 50 feet below the surface to give advance notice to the Natural Environment Research Council. Further information must be supplied when the borehole is actually sunk. Since 1 April 2005, the abstraction licensing threshold has been 20 cubic meters a day. But these reporting requirements apply irrespective of the volume of abstraction taking place.

Water Supply: Consumption

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the total consumption of water in cubic metres, including a breakdown of consumption per occupant, in (a) Number 10; (b) Number 11; and (c) Number 12 Downing Street in each of the past 10 years.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: This information is not held in the format requested. The Downing Street complex forms an integral part of the Cabinet Office estate and is therefore included in this reply.
	The total consumption of water in cubic metres including a breakdown of consumption per occupant is shown in the table. The figures are based on Cabinet Office central London buildings where the Cabinet Office is billed directly for water usage.
	
		
			 Financial Year 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 
			 Total Volume (m3) 44,750 42,297 56,721 
			 m3 per person 32.97 31.07 30.07 
		
	
	The Cabinet Office began systematic monitoring of its water consumption in 2003–04 and reliable figures for earlier years are not available.